Wednesday, May 29, 2024

The Energy News Digest for May 29, 2024

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Items of Note from the Northwest Public Power Association

The NWPPA Excellence in Communications contest is an awards competition open to NWPPA utility and association members. Public power professionals are invited to submit the best content created by or on behalf of their utility or organization. All photo entries will automatically be entered into the People’s Choice Awards contest. Awards for both contests are presented each year at NWPPA’s Northwest Innovations in Communications Conference.

All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT on Friday, June 28, 2024. Late submissions will not be considered.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Bonneville Power Administration Projects $280 Million Loss: Drought, Extreme Weather Hit BPA Revenues (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/may/29/bpa-projects-280m-loss-drought-extreme-weather-hit-bonneville-power-administration-revenues/

Massive Wind Farm Proposal in Washington State Gets New Life from Gov. Jay Inslee (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/washington-wind-farm-endangered-hawk-inslee-b5b79db2ede77506cb6894ee8421845a

Oregon Wineries & Vineyards Seek $100 Million from PacifiCorp for 2020 Wildfire Smoke Damage (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/05/28/oregon-wineries-vineyards-seek-100-million-pacificorp-2020-wildfire-smoke-damage/

Data Centers Could Use 9% of U.S. Electricity by 2030, Research Institute Says (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/data-centers-could-use-9-us-electricity-by-2030-research-institute-says-2024-05-29/

 

T-Mobile To Buy Almost All of U.S. Cellular In Deal Worth $4.4 Billion with Debt (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/tmobile-tds-us-cellular-67d4d2a85fd73338334987933b468a40

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Bonneville Power Administration Projects $280 Million Loss: Drought, Extreme Weather Hit BPA Revenues

2.      Oregon Wineries & Vineyards Seek $100 Million from PacifiCorp for 2020 Wildfire Smoke Damage

3.      Oregon Wildfire Victims Face Huge Tax Bills on PacifiCorp Settlements; Congressional Fix Is Stuck

4.      Idaho Power to Host Virtual Meetings on Wildfire Safety & Public Safety Power Shutoffs

5.      WA State: ‘No Evidence at All’: Lawsuit Against Lewis County Public Utility District Over New Meter System Dismissed

6.      NRECA CEO Matheson to Congress: Protect Lower Snake River Dams in Water Bill

7.      Utilities Eye Nuclear Power to Meet Data Center Power Demand

8.      Why Edison Electric Institute Is Trying to Kill President Biden’s Climate Rule

9.      Western Area Power Administration Line Crews Respond to Iowa Tornadoes

10.   News Release: New Members Successfully Integrated into Northwest Power Pool Reserve Sharing Group

11.   California Approves $6.1 Billion Transmission Plan

12.   Idaho Power Files Condemnation Suit Seeking Easement Across Baker County Property for Boardman to Hemingway Power Line

13.   How a Simple Fix Could Double the Size of the U.S. Electricity Grid

14.   FERC Passed Big Transmission Reforms; Now the Hard Part Begins

15.   Massive Wind Farm Proposal in Washington State Gets New Life from Gov. Jay Inslee

16.   California: Otay Mesa Battery Storage Fire Stokes Residents’ Fear of Similar Facility in North County

17.   Five Biggest Solar Projects in the U.S.

18.   WA State: Royal City Beekeeper Says Honey Farms Are Struggling to Survive

19.   Orcas Are Still Smashing Up Boats – And We’ve Finally Worked Out Why

20.   Wild ‘Superpigs’ from Canada Could Soon Invade Some U.S. States, Study Suggests

21.   Klamath River Water Improving, According to California Water Board

22.   Native American Tribes Give Unanimous Approval to Proposal Securing Colorado River Water

23.   Northwest Montana Mountain Snowpack Rebounds in May

24.   Washington State Is Giving $5 Million to a Massive Aluminum Production Plant in Spokane. Why?

25.   WA Climate Commitment Act Dollars at Work: Commerce Awards $7.5 Million to Five Tribes for Clean Energy Projects

26.   T-Mobile To Buy Almost All of U.S. Cellular In Deal Worth $4.4 Billion with Debt

27.   Data Centers Could Use 9% of U.S. Electricity by 2030, Research Institute Says

28.   School Districts Receive $900 Million from EPA to Fund Electric School Buses

29.   The Slowdown in U.S. Electric Vehicle Sales Looks More Like a Blip

30.   Why Google’s Artificial Intelligence Might Recommend You Mix Glue into Your Pizza

31.   Headline Help to Attract Readers & Beat Writers’ Block

32.   Former California Water District Manager Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy Case

33.   Storms Leave Widespread Outages Across Texas, Cleanup Continues After Deadly Weekend Across U.S.

34.   Guest Essay: Inslee Was Right to Stare Down NIMBYism Around Horse Heaven Wind Farm

Word of the Day – The Horrible Haiku Edition

Aureate \OR-ee-ut\ Adjective – 1: of a golden color or brilliance 2: marked by grandiloquent and rhetorical style.

     Golden hours’ sunset

     Sun’s rays, an aureate delight

     Soothing light brings peace

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Bonneville Power Administration Projects $280 Million Loss: Drought, Extreme Weather Hit BPA Revenues (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/may/29/bpa-projects-280m-loss-drought-extreme-weather-hit-bonneville-power-administration-revenues/

2.      Oregon Wineries & Vineyards Seek $100 Million from PacifiCorp for 2020 Wildfire Smoke Damage (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/05/28/oregon-wineries-vineyards-seek-100-million-pacificorp-2020-wildfire-smoke-damage/

3.      Oregon Wildfire Victims Face Huge Tax Bills on PacifiCorp Settlements; Congressional Fix Is Stuck (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/05/oregon-wildfire-victims-face-huge-tax-bills-on-pacificorp-settlements-congressional-fix-is-stuck.html

4.      Idaho Power to Host Virtual Meetings on Wildfire Safety & Public Safety Power Shutoffs (KMVT-TV, Twin Falls, ID)

https://www.kmvt.com/2024/05/21/idaho-power-host-virtual-meetings-wildfire-safety-public-safety-power-shutoffs/

5.      WA State: ‘No Evidence at All’: Lawsuit Against Lewis County Public Utility District Over New Meter System Dismissed (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/no-evidence-at-all-lawsuit-against-lewis-county-public-utility-district-over-new-meter,341058

6.      NRECA CEO Matheson to Congress: Protect Lower Snake River Dams in Water Bill (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

https://www.electric.coop/matheson-to-congress-protect-lower-snake-river-dams-in-water-bill

7.      Utilities Eye Nuclear Power to Meet Data Center Power Demand (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/utilities-eye-nuclear-power-meet-data-center-power-demand

8.      Why Edison Electric Institute Is Trying to Kill President Biden’s Climate Rule (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/why-eei-is-trying-to-kill-bidens-climate-rule/

9.      Western Area Power Administration Line Crews Respond to Iowa Tornadoes (Western Area Power Administration)

https://www.wapa.gov/wapa-line-crews-respond-to-iowa-tornadoes/

10.   News Release: New Members Successfully Integrated into Northwest Power Pool Reserve Sharing Group (Western Power Pool)

https://www.westernpowerpool.org/news/new-members-successfully-integrated-into-northwest

The Big Pipe – Transmission

11.   California Approves $6.1 Billion Transmission Plan (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/california-approves-6-1b-transmission-plan/

12.   Idaho Power Files Condemnation Suit Seeking Easement Across Baker County Property for Boardman to Hemingway Power Line (Baker City Herald, OR)

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/idaho-power-files-condemnation-suit-seeking-easement-across-baker-county-property-for-b2h-power-line/article_ea0052dc-1d14-11ef-9ffa-33b817ef0da9.html

13.   How a Simple Fix Could Double the Size of the U.S. Electricity Grid (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/how-a-simple-fix-could-double-the-size-of-the-u-s-electricity-grid/ar-BB1nbyA1

14.   FERC Passed Big Transmission Reforms; Now the Hard Part Begins (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/transmission/ferc-passed-big-transmission-reforms-now-the-hard-part-begins

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

15.   Massive Wind Farm Proposal in Washington State Gets New Life from Gov. Jay Inslee (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/washington-wind-farm-endangered-hawk-inslee-b5b79db2ede77506cb6894ee8421845a

16.   California: Otay Mesa Battery Storage Fire Stokes Residents’ Fear of Similar Facility in North County (KPBS-TV, San Diego, CA)

https://www.kpbs.org/news/public-safety/2024/05/28/otay-mesa-battery-storage-fire-stokes-residents-fear-of-similar-facility-in-north-county

17.   Five Biggest Solar Projects in the U.S. (Newsweek)

https://www.newsweek.com/5-biggest-solar-projects-us-hits-5-million-milestone-1905403

Fish & Wildlife

18.   WA State: Royal City Beekeeper Says Honey Farms Are Struggling to Survive (Source One News, Ephrata, WA)

https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/royal-city-beekeeper-says-honey-farms-are-struggling-to-survive/article_84006182-1a0a-11ef-be93-bb8bdff27224.html

19.   Orcas Are Still Smashing Up Boats – And We’ve Finally Worked Out Why (New Atlas)

https://newatlas.com/biology/orcas-killer-whales-boats/

20.   Wild ‘Superpigs’ from Canada Could Soon Invade Some U.S. States, Study Suggests (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/canada-wild-pigs-spreading-1.7214122

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

21.   Klamath River Water Improving, According to California Water Board (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/05/25/klamath-river-water-improving-california-water-board/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

22.   Native American Tribes Give Unanimous Approval to Proposal Securing Colorado River Water (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/colorado-river-tribes-water-settlement-navajo-hopi-ce4105ef91008a8062053c2e811a5cc7

23.   Northwest Montana Mountain Snowpack Rebounds in May (AOL News)

https://www.aol.com/news/northwest-montana-mountain-snowpack-rebounds-021700854.html

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

24.   Washington State Is Giving $5 Million to a Massive Aluminum Production Plant in Spokane. Why? (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/may/22/washington-state-is-giving-5-million-to-a-massive-/

25.   WA Climate Commitment Act Dollars at Work: Commerce Awards $7.5 Million to Five Tribes for Clean Energy Projects (WA Dept Of Commerce)

https://www.commerce.wa.gov/news/climate-commitment-act-dollars-at-work-commerce-awards-7-5-million-to-five-tribes-for-clean-energy-projects/

London Calling –Telecommunications

26.   T-Mobile To Buy Almost All of U.S. Cellular In Deal Worth $4.4 Billion with Debt (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/tmobile-tds-us-cellular-67d4d2a85fd73338334987933b468a40

Beam Me Up, Scotty - The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

27.   Data Centers Could Use 9% of U.S. Electricity by 2030, Research Institute Says (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/data-centers-could-use-9-us-electricity-by-2030-research-institute-says-2024-05-29/

I Sing the Car Electric

28.   School Districts Receive $900 Million from EPA to Fund Electric School Buses (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electric-vehicles/school-districts-receive-900m-from-epa-to-fund-electric-school-buses

29.   The Slowdown in U.S. Electric Vehicle Sales Looks More Like a Blip (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-28/the-slowdown-in-us-electric-vehicle-sales-looks-more-like-a-blip

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

30.   Why Google’s Artificial Intelligence Might Recommend You Mix Glue into Your Pizza (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-google-ai-might-recommend-220419167.html

31.   Headline Help to Attract Readers & Beat Writers’ Block (Pioneer Utility Resources)

https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/headlinehelp/

Management & Governance

32.   Former California Water District Manager Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy Case (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/former-california-water-district-manager-pleads-guilty-in-conspiracy-case/

Other Things to Know About Today

33.   Storms Leave Widespread Outages Across Texas, Cleanup Continues After Deadly Weekend Across U.S. (Associated Press)

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/23-are-dead-across-the-us-after-weekend-tornadoes-texas-is-getting-battered-again/ar-BB1nc3hL

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

34.   Guest Essay: Inslee Was Right to Stare Down NIMBYism Around Horse Heaven Wind Farm (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/inslee-was-right-to-stare-down-nimbyism-around-horse-heaven-wind-farm/

Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions

Lost Wallet Returned to British Columbia Man After 33 Years

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/05/23/canada-lost-wallet-33-years-Comex-Marina/4771716485246/

California: Stranded Cat Rescued from Atop Utility Pole

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/05/24/stranded-cat-utility-pole-Kern-County-California/4931716582141/

Madonna Fan Earns World Record With 18 Tattoos of the Singer

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/05/23/Guinness-World-Records-Madonna-tattoos/3201716495861/

Shaving Cream & Table Tennis Balls Earn Man His 171st World Record

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/05/24/Guinness-World-Records-David-Rush-shaving-cream-table-tennis/3151716568593/

Song of the Day

Madonna – Vogue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydFYm-oomec

Links & Paywall Advisory

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.

Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookie files may help you access some paywall sites.